Store equipment



4 Sheets-Sheet 2 *v lNvENToR WALTER 5.

w. s. FORBES STORE EQUIPMENT Filed oct. 15, V194?.

Q eq N en N l Fe'b'.,1944.

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Feb. 8, 1944.

STORE EQUIPMENT FORBES l Filed Oct. 15. 1942' 4 Sheets-Sheet ,4

Patented Feb. 8, 1944 UNITED Asrltrss EN T OFFICE 9 Claims.

This inventionrelates to store and stockroorn equipment.

In particular, the invention relates to improved means whereby goods or merchandise stored on shelves above the reach of the store or stockroom clerk may be conveniently brought to any desired level, and subseduentlyreturned to its initial position on such elevated shelves.

It is an object of the invention. to provide conveyor means movable from. andy returnable to, elevated stockroom shelves, whereby the full wall height of stores or stocl'nrooms may be utilized for the storing of goods or merchandise which must be frequently handled.

It is an object of the invention to provid-e means whereby goods stored on shelves above the. convenient reach of the average person may bev made readily accessible without recourse to ladders or like conventional and hazardousv devices.

It is an object of the invention to provide semiautomatic means by which goods or merchandise may be brought from an inaccessible level to a level at which they can be conveniently handled.

It is an object of the invention to provide a vertically movable platform onto which a car containing goods stored upon a high shelf. may be moved for descent to desired level, said platform being held at operational height for reception of said car by interlocking devices respectively positioned on said car and saidpl'atform.

It is an object of the invention to provide for the more economical use of wal-l space in stockrooms or retail stores, by providing for theutilization of otherwise inaccessible wall heights, for the storing of goods which must be frequently handled.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear from a study of the specification and drawings, in which,

Fig. l is a front elevation-of a portion of an installation of stockroom shelves, on the'upper level of which one embodiment of my invention is installed;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, in` section, of the installation of Fig. vl.;

Fig. 3 is a plan view, in section, along. lines 3 3 of Fig. 1, yof the installation ofv Fig 1;

Fig. 4 is a corner detail, in front elevation, showin-g the arrangement of the cooperating guides and rails of the car and platform;

Fig. .5 is a side elevation on unes 5 5 of Fig.. 4; l

Fig. 6 is similar to Fig. 5,. but showin-g the car havingk been moved onto the vertically movable platform and the latch member having been released;

Fig. 7 is a `schematic plan section, showing a corner of the car at the extreme of' its outward movement and the engagement ofA a.- guidefmember of the car with. the front fiange of the vertical guiderai-l';

Figs. 8 and 9 are sectional elevations of a secondform of my invention; Fig. 8 shows a car at an intermediate stage of outward. movement onto the vertically movable platform, and Fig. 9 shows the car and platform` being returned to their initial, elevatedA position;

Fig. l0 isl a Aplan View of the means for moving the car outwardly;

Fig. 11 is a vertical section, taken on lines I I-'I I of Fig. l0; and

Fig. 12 is a rear elevation of the car moving means.

Referring to Figs. 1L through 7, Whichillustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention. Fig. l shows a front elevation of an installation of stockroom shelvesor the like I0, on an upper shelf I2 of which, at a level above the reach of the average person, is 4arranged `apparatus embodying the present invention. The illustrated form of my invention permits the carrying. of' four boxes or the like, arranged in two rows, but obviously the capacity isv not limited to the number of boxes or other goods-containing receptacles within reasonable limits. Without appreciable difficulty, the apparatus may be. enlarged. to accommodate four or morerows of boxes, each row being four boxes or more in height.

In its essentials, myinventiori comprises a car or carrier Ill, mounted upon Wheels running on xed. trackways I5, for movement outwardly onto other trackways I6 secured to aplatform Il., which may be raised or lowered, and guided' in such vertical` movement by the Vertical H-shaped guides I8 suitably secured to the shelving structure. Cooperating with guides I8" are the laterally extending slides I9 of brackets 2U secured to the underside -of the platformA Il to Support the same, and'A vertical Slides. 2| secure'dto the rear wall of car I4. Slides I9 are in continuous" engagement with the rear of' guides I8, see Fig'. l, whereas slides 2I engage with guides I8` when the car I is moved onto. platform I'l, see Fig. 7. As shown in Fig. 7; the rear ange of guide I8 is not wider than the vertical postv structure 22 of shelving III, permitting. the outwardly extending slide 2I, to pass such rear lang'e'for engagement with the forward flan-ge' of said guide I8. which thereby limits forward movement of the car I4. During the periods of'. non-use of .the apparatus, the platform ITI is continuously maintained at operational height by'means ofl interlocking angle members 2l3, 24,. disposed respectively on the underside of the carriage I4 andthe upper surface of the platform Il.

A forward projection 25 of angle member 23 engages with a. detent 26" of angle 2'4, see Fig. 5,

when the car I4 is in its most rearward position on the shelves. Hence-.the extension25 operates as a continuous support. to preventthe. platform I'I from dropping below operational position. It

is preferable, see Fig. 5, to so arrange the respective elements 25, 26 that element 25 operates to lift the platform slightly above its operational position. This action forms an effective means of braking the rearward travel of the car I4 when the same isV moved back into position on the shelves, as later described.

As a precautionary measure to insure the maintenance of the position of the platform l1 against any accidental downward movement thereof, and to serve as a resilient bumper or restraint to bring the forward movement of car I4 to a gentle halt, I prefer to provide each of the brackets 20 with a spring member 21, having a nose 28 which normally overles a bar 3B. If, by some chance, a strong downward pull was exerted against platform I1, said pull being of such force that it would move the element 25 downwardly to rotate car I4 clockwise about its forward wheels, upsetting of the car would be prevented, because a very short downward movement of platform I1 would bring the nose 28 in contact with the lug 36, and secure the platform i1 against any further downward travel.

Outward movement of the car I4, as later described, is effective to bring its forwardly extending member 25 beyond the limits of detent 26 prior to the instant when the wheels of said car I4 contact the tracks I6 of platform I1. Hence, the platform I1 is permitted to drop to a position where the tracks I6 thereof are in registry with the tracks I5, whereupon the car may roll forwardly on the tracks I6 preparatory to bringing the platform I1 and its thereon positioned car down to the level desired by the operator. As the car I4 moves completely outward on the platform i1, a lug or equivalent device 3| strikes the detent 21, rotating it outwardly and bringing the nose 28 clear of the lug 3i). Forward movement of the car I4 is limited by the engagement of the rear slides 2l thereof with the guides i3, whereupon the platform and the car are free to be brought downwardly to the level desired.

To conveniently accomplish the downward and upward movement of the oar and platform, I prefer to employ counterweighted pulley means and suitable driving cords. As clearly appears 'in Fig. 2, a handle 33 is provided at one end of a cord which rides over a pair of centering pulleys 34, 35 for securement `to an eye 36 at the rear of the car I4.

A counterweight organization consists of a cord secured to the eye 36, passing over suitable pulleys 31, A33 and terminating in a counterweight 39 of suitable weight.

It will be apparent, therefore, that a downward pull upon the handle 33 is effective to draw the car I4 outwardly onto the platform I1 against the restraining influence of the counterweight 3S. A continued downward'pull on handle 3 insures that the car I4 is' fully supported upon said platform I1, whereupon the platform and Yits car may be' drawn downwardly, by the operator, until it reaches the desired level. Desirably, the counterweight 39'is suflicient toreturn the shelf I1 to its initial-position, even with the car I4 loaded to capacity, whereupon when one or more of the boxes on said car are removed by the store clerk or stock clerk, the platform l1 will return to its elevated position, and the car will be returned to position within the shelves, thereby eliminating possibility of accidents resulting 'from' the projection ofthe car outwardly into an aisle space at a level wherein it might be struck vby a passer-by.

Suitable cushions or bumpers 4I may be mounted on the rear of the car I4 or on cross piece of the shelf structure, to bring the car to a stop without jarring or undue noise.

Figs. 8 through 12 disclose a second embodiment of my invention pursuant to which the car I4' is mounted on the illustrated rollers for movement from the shelf I2 to a platform II, and return from said platform to position within the shelves substantially as previously described.

According to this form of the invention, the car It is provided with spaced channel members 23 having a forwardly extending member 25, said channel cooperating with a complementary channel 24' on the platform I'I, having a rearwardly extending member 26. When the car I6 is disposed within the shelves, the extension 25 thereof is beneath the extension 26 of channel 24', thereby properly positioning the platform I1' at operating level.

It will be understood that said platform I 'I is supported upon brackets 20 having guides for cooperation with rails I8, and that said car I4' is similarly provided with guides 2'I, which also cooperate with the rails I8 to guide the platform and car in vertical movement.

To move the car I4' from its position within the shelves onto the platform I1', I provide a pusher 4i! having spaced elongated runners 4I, 4 I which slide upon the surface of the shelf I2 and are guided by side rails 42, 42, secured to said shelf. A pull cord 43 rides over a centering roller 44 suitably mounted upon the shelf as illustrated, and is attached to a flange or abutment 45 on the pusher 4f).

A sheave 46 is mounted on suitable brackets on an upright provided on pusher 40, and a counterweight oord 41 is positioned on said roller for securement to the underside of the car I4 as shown in Fig. 11.

Suitable direction-changing sheaves 48, 50 provide for guiding the counterweight cord 41, and insure that the pull exerted by the counterweight 39 is effective on the car I4 near the base thereof.

As appears in Fig. 8, a downward pull on the handle 33 draws the pusher 40 outwardly, thereby urging the car I4' onto the platform I1', which is continually held in proper position by the intertting extensions 25', 26' of channel members 23', 24'. Forward movement of the pusher 40 is halted when the slides 2| of car I4' strike the forward flanges of guide rails I8.

The weight of the counterweight 39 is suitably less than the loaded weight of the car I4 so that when said car is drawn fully outwardly onto the platform I1' the car and platform will descend relatively slowly.

When it is desired to return the platform and car to elevated position, the operator merely pushes upwardly on the platform, whereupon vthe car and platform, aided by the increasing momentum of the fall of the counterweight 39,-rises to the level of the shelf. When the car and'platform have attained the level illustrated in Fig. 8, the downward fall of counterweight 39 will cause the car and the pusher 40 to move rearwardly into position within the shelves I6.

To provide a positive limitation of the upward movement of the platform and car during the return of the same to shelf height, it may be expedient to provide a stop 5I, see Figs. 8 and'9 at the desired location.

It will be observed that the interlock of extensions 25 and 26 in the embodiment of Figs. 1 through '7, and the corresponding extensions 25? and 26 in the embodiment of Figs. 8 through 12, maintain the respective platforms Il or I 'l' at proper operational level. In the first-named embodiment, the maintenance of proper operation.- al level is further insured by the latch spring structure 2l, which remains in locked position until the elements 28, 30, thereof are disengaged by the striking of lug 3| with the free upper end of spring 21.

In the second embodiment, the probable center of gravity of the load within car I4 will be effective to maintain the platform I'l in a level position until such center of gravity is moved on to said platform; the car and platform are restrained from tilting downwardly by the combined effects of the pull of the counterweight 39 and the large area of engagement of the guides of bracket 20' with the rails I8.

In each embodiment, when the car has been drawn fully out onto the platform, the engagement of the rear guides 2| of the respective cars provides a restraining and guiding effect which therefore extends from a position substantially below the level of the platform to the top of the car.

Whereas I have described my invention by reference to specific forms thereof, it will be understood that many changes and modifications may be made provided they do not depart from the scope of the claims.

I claim:

l. In association with an installation of shelves, means for bringing articles stored on one of said shelves downwardly to a desired level and for returning the same to said shelf, comprising a car for containing said articles and positioned on said shelf for movement in a horizontal plane,

vertical trackways positioned in front of said shelves, a platform arranged for vertical movement on said trackways, means on said car and said platform respectively interlocking to position said platform in front of said car at the level thereof, a bracket engaging said vertical trackways and supporting said platform, means for moving said car outwardly from its said shelf to a position wholly upon said platform, guiclev means on said car for engaging the said trackways when said car has been brought on to said platform, means for moving said car and platform downwardly t desired level, and counterweight means for aiding the return of said car and platform to its initial level and drawing said car from said platform into its initial position within said shelves.

2. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a car mounted at an elevated level for movement in a lateral direction on horizontal trackways, a platform mounted for movement in a vertical direction on vertical trackways, means for effecting the respective lateral and vertical movements, and means whereby said car supports said platform at said elevated level permitting the car to be moved onto the platform, said means including structure mounted on said car and having a forwardly projecting member, structure mounted on said platform and having a rearwardly projecting member, the respective members intertting in such manner that the Weight of the platform when at said elevated level is carried by the forwardly projecting member of said car structure.

3 3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, in which the respective intertting structures on the car and platform include means whereby rearward movement of the car is effective to move the platform upwardly, just prior'to completion of such rearward movement.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, in which the respective intertting structures on the car and platform are so shaped that the platform is held slightly above the level on which the car is movable in its said lateral direction prior to movement of said car toward said platform.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, in which the weight of the platform is effective to brake the rearward movement of the car during the return of said car to its original position.

6. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a car mounted at an elevated level for movement in a lateral direction, a platform mounted for movement in a vertical direction, means for guiding said lateral and vertical movements, and means for maintaining said platform at a level at which said car may be moved onto said platform and precluding movement of said platform in a vertical direction until said car is wholly on said platform, including intertting channel means disposed respectively on said car and said platform, said channel means being continuously in engagement.

7. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a car mounted for movement in a lateral direction, a platform mounted for movement in a vertical direction, means for eifecting the respective lateral and vertical movements, and means for supporting said platform at the level of said car, said means including a spring latch mounted on said platform and normally engaging a locking bar, and means on said car engageable with said spring latch to displace it against the tension of the spring thereof, to bring said latch out of engagement with said bar after said car has been moved wholly onto said platform, the spring tension of said latch serving to brake the forward movement of said car.

8. In association with an installation of shelves, means for bringing articles stored on one of said shelves outwardly thereof and down to a desired level and for returning the same to said shelf, comprising a car for containing said articles, mounted for movement in a horizontal direction outwardly and inwardly of said shelf, vertical trackways mounted in front of said shelves. a platform supported for vertical movement on said trackways, means respectively on said car and said platform `and interengaging for positioning the platform at the level of the shelf, means including a pusher slidably positioned on said shelf behind said car, and means for drawing said pusher outwardly along said shelf to urge said car from said shelf on to said platform, said car having guide means engaging with said vertical trackways.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said shelf has guide rails mounted thereon and said pusher has relatively widely spaced elongated runners slidably engaging said guide rails, and a broad, fiat, front surface engageable with the rear wall of said car, whereby said pusher is effective to move said car in a straight path.

WALTER s. FORBES. 

